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STUDY GROUP LED BY IOP FELLOW LEAH DAUGHTRY

Day: Tuesdays
Time: 4:00-5:30pm
Location: L166

Watch Leah Daughty's study group introduction

Issues of Faith and values have been intertwined with our politics since the first settlers came to the New World.  Whether escaping oppression or simply seeking new opportunities, whole communities were founded on the basis of religion.  And Faith/values has continued to play a role throughout our history – albeit, sometimes more subtle than others – whether through slavery, the Civil Rights movement, or the Vietnam War. 

In more recent history, Jerry Falwell’s Moral Majority returned the issues of faith and values to the political arena, and raised the country’s awareness of a new, vocal constituency and voting bloc.  Marketed as conservative and right-leaning, they aligned, for the most part, with the Republican Party.  No apparent Democratic counterpart appearing, this constituency successfully redefined the Republican Party as the Party of Faith and Values.

Following John Kerry’s defeat in the presidential campaign of 2004, many blamed his loss on his supposed inability to connect with Faith and values communities and issues.  On the heels of this loss, the Democratic Party attempted to reframe the discussion, and redefine themselves through the lens of Faith and values.  Whether they were successful is a matter for debate.

In the 2008 presidential cycle, the intersection of faith and values were evident throughout the campaign.  Mitt Romney’s membership in the Church of the Latter Day Saints was cause for much speculation.  Mike Huckabee, a former pastor, regularly quoted Scripture.  And Barack Obama’s difficulties with his then-pastor Jeremiah Wright dominated the news for several weeks.  Candidates from both parties attended a televised forum sponsored by Saddleback Church.  There was even a faith and values debate.

During our study group we will take an in-depth look at the role that Faith and values have come to play in American politics, whether in campaigns, the development of public policy, or international relations.

September 22: Study Group Overview and Introduction

September 29:  Who Are These People Anyway?
Guest: Cornell Belcher, brilliant corners research
An analysis of Faith and Values voters and their issues of concern.  Are they a real (and predictable) voting bloc?  What do they really care about?  And to what extent are their issues of concerns their primary motivation in selecting a candidate or issue to support? 

October 6: Faith, Values and Public Policy: A Case Study — Climate Change
Guest: Burns Strider, American Values Network
Examining how coalitions are built to impact public policy, using the environment and climate change as a case study.  To what extent is it possible for diverse and divergent groups to coalesce around a common goal? 

October 13: Faith & Values in The White House
Guest: Joshua DuBois (INVITED), Director, White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships
To much debate and concern, President George W. Bush established the first White House Office of Faith Based Initiatives.  President Obama has maintained the office, expanding its mandate to include neighborhood organizations.  What does this office seek to accomplish?   And how is it addressing concerns about inclusion, the separation of church and state, and the politicization of Faith communities.

October 20: Faith and Values in American Presidential Politics: A Case Study
Guest: Shaun Casey, Ph.D.  Author, John F.  Kennedy: The Making of A Catholic President, Professor of Christian Ethics, Wesley Theological Seminary, Director, National Capital Semester for Seminarians
Examining the 1960 election of John F. Kennedy to the presidency, which represents the first time in recent American history that issues of Faith took a prominent role in presidential politics.  What relevance do we find to today’s presidential campaigns?  In what ways are issues of Faith more or less magnified today?


November 3: Study Group Final WrapUp

November 10: Faith, Values, and International Affairs
Guest: Thomas Farr, Ph.D.Author, World of Faith and Freedom: Why International Religious Liberty is Vital to American National Security Former (and first) Director, U.S. State Department Office of International Religious Freedom
Examining how American international policy (which is built upon American values of separation of church and state) interacts with a world that is increasingly theocratic.  How do we develop, maintain, and strengthen our relationships with governments whose policies and practices are based on religious belief?